Mike Kitching

18th May 1940 to 28th April 2019

Service 9th May, St Johns Church, Mona Vale.

"A life lived abundantly, creatively, lovingly. An acclaimed artist and sculptor. A true friend. Funny, very clever, great mind, mischievous, honourable and a great story teller." - Robyn Berkeley

Sculptor Michael Kitching was born in 1940 in Hull, England, UK, moving to Australia in 1952. Growing up in England, he often visited galleries and museums with his father, James Digby Percival Kitching, a military trained engineer and builder who was responsible for building two major oil refineries in the UK during WW11. It was through his father’s creative influence that Kitching’s love of art was founded, teaching him also how to work, construct and create with his hands. Representation by: Berkeley Editions Fine Art, 2017 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize - Finalist: Mike's sculpture "Multiple 1"

“ THE FIELD REVISITED “ 1968 - 2018 " Opening Thursday 26th April 2018

To celebrate 50 years NATIONAL GALLERY VICTORIA — Mike was one of 44 leading young AUSTRALIAN Contemporary Artists. His work “ PHOENIX 11 “ 1968 is being exhibited which was originally bought and gifted by BHP BILLITON to the MILDURA REGIONAL GALLERY. Regarded as a landmark exhibition in Australian art history, The Field opened the National Gallery of Victoria’s new premises on St Kilda Road in 1968. The inaugural exhibition was a radical presentation of seventy-four works by forty artists, around half aged under thirty, who were primarily producing art that was flat, abstract, patterned, geometric or in the colour field style. What was the importance of The Field to you and your contemporaries at the time? Watch the artists video >>